What’s So Great About Pole Buildings?

They are called Pole Buildings, Pole Barns, Pole Sheds, depending on what part of the country you are in.

We call them Pole Buildings because that’s what they are.

They are structures where the foundation is a series of poles rather than a slab or block. These structures are not just barns any more either. The method of construction is called post-frame.

Post Frame Construction has been around for a very long time. Post Frame Construction is unique in the way the foundation and framing differ from what many call conventional framing.

This method of construction offers the best value per square foot of any residential framing method, and can make anything you imagine a reality.

Post-Frame Construction is one of the most flexible frame building systems available. This method of construction is versatile and it is the natural choice of construction for low-rise commercial and residential projects.

Building Footing/Foundation

In a Pole Building, the foundation of the structure is the biggest difference versus traditional stick-built/stud-frame. Stick built buildings have a continuous concrete footing/foundation. In many applications, this is not important and drives the cost by 20-30%. The standard depth of the poles is 3 1/2’. In short, the foundation of a pole building is the poles (posts) whereas in stick-built buildings the foundation is a concrete slab which is poured before the building. In a pole building, a concrete slab can be poured after the building shell is constructed to make a floor.

Flexible and Versatile

Pole Buildings are able to achieve virtually any look with their flexibility and large, open interiors. Pole Building designs are “clear span” which means that there are no load bearing walls in the buildings. The roof trusses span all the way across which allows for large open spaces and flexibility for laying out rooms. These clear-spans can even go over 100 ft. Pole buildings can be as plain or extravagant; big or small, as your budget allows and can also be designed to blend in to any setting.

By design, pole buildings provide a wide selection of interior and exterior wood frame building finishes, roofing products, and architectural details. In fact, just about any kind of wood frame design aesthetic can be achieved with post-frame construction, making it one of the most flexible frame building systems available.

Two-story pole buildings can be built but when you get into widths longer than 30’, supporting poles in the first level will be needed to support the floor.

Roof trusses are set 4’ o.c. on standard buildings. They are clear-span, which means that they span the width of the building. This allows for large open spaces and flexibility for laying out rooms because there are no load-bearing walls. The possibilities are endless when designing floor plans and can be more creative to fit your needs.

Once the building shell is finished, a pole building can be stud-framed and insulated on the inside like any other building.

Cost Effective

On average you can save anywhere from 15-30% or more of a traditional building and cut weeks off the building time. Pole buildings save both time and money. Many materials to choose from, shorter project timelines and lower labor costs.